The Past Catches Up
by Anko-dono
Summary: The Uchiha prodigy meets his match... SasukeXOC
1. Sasuke, huh?

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Author's Note: Since a lot of people have complained that my OC is a mary-sue, I've decided to rewrite the whole story. :D . But of course, I'm not going to change everything. I had some good ideas, even though I was a lot younger then. Also, I won't be changing the chapter titles. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Did I say I was Kishimoto Masashi?

Title: The Past Catches Up

Chapter One: Sasuke, huh?

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With all the courage she could muster, Mitsuri marched into the Hokage's office. As soon as she was inside, she let her mouth take over. "Gomen nasai, Hokage-sama! I didn't know he was from here—"

Tsunade laughed at the green-haired girl's mortified expression. "I called you in here for an entirely different reason." She had heard about what happened earlier. Mitsuri had beat up another ninja because she thought he was trespassing in their village. The poor victim was so bruised he had to be sent to the hospital. "Besides, I don't blame you for what you did. Uchiha Sasuke should have worn his forehead protector."

Mitsuri blanched whiter than the petals of a daisy. "U-Uchiha Sasuke!? Oh my gosh! I fought the Uchiha prodigy?"

"Couldn't you tell? The Uchiha symbol can be found at the back of his shirt." Tsunade rolled her eyes. "What planet are you on, anyway? Don't all young girls know Sasuke?"

"He was such a punk," Mitsuri said with a frown. "He didn't answer when I asked him what he was doing in Konoha. He could have said he lived here."

"Sasuke has always been like that." Tsunade smiled fondly at the thought of the rather arrogant young boy. "I must say I'm surprised, though. You defeated him." When she said that, she realized that she was talking to a girl who graduated from the academy at the age of six, and she passed the chuunin selection exam at the same age. Mitsuri was now a jounin and one of the best, too.

"How old is he, anyway?"

"Seventeen, I think."

"He's older than I am." Mitsuri grinned. Maybe the Uchiha clan wasn't as great as she thought. As for herself, she knew nothing of her bloodline, growing up as an orphan. Sometimes she wondered if maybe her family had been a noble clan, but there was no way to find out since she had no relatives that they knew of, dead or living. What a bother! She didn't need noble blood in her veins to become a great ninja.

"He is, and I believe he let you beat him up. Don't argue with me on that one! He's a bit of a monster but he won't purposefully fight a fellow Konoha shinobi without good reason," Tsunade told her. "Anyway, I am assigning you to a mission."

"Really? What mission?" Mitsuri decided to ignore the part about the Uchiha prodigy letting her defeat him by his own will. It was a lot less gratifying when put like that.

"You will have a team of apprentices."

"Me? Train three genins?"

"Yep. These kids are twelve-year olds. They recently graduated from the academy but this is different from the ordinary teaching though. Mitsuri, you're still sixteen so I'm going to get a partner for you."

What a relief. She was about to complain that the job was too hard for her. At least Hokage-sama wasn't as merciless as to let her handle the kids on her own. It was common for jounin to train a team but most of the assigned were old enough, like twenty and above. Mitsuri was curious about who her students were going to be. "Who will be my partner?"

"You'll find out tomorrow," Tsunade promised. "You will be in charge of the eighth unit. Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon."

"Konohamaru? The late Sandaime's grandson?"

Tsunade nodded. "They've grown up. Tomorrow afternoon you will meet with the kids in their classroom."

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"Why is our sensei late?" Konohamaru grumbled. He scratched his head and turned to his teammates for answers.

"Our sensei too," another kid named Rio said. He and his group were also waiting for their teacher. Just then, the door slid open. A green-haired woman walked in. Her blouse and skirt were both made of black leather, with wide silver zippers to serve as openings and locks.

"Eh?" The woman looked down at the kids. "Which of you is part of Team Eight?"

Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon raised their hands. "Are you our sensei?"

"Hai. I'm Mitsuri," she answered. Referring to the other team, she asked, "What about you? Your sensei isn't here yet?" When they shook their heads, Mitsuri rolled her grey eyes. She had a pretty good idea who their sensei was.

"Yo." A man appeared at the doorway. A black cloth covered the lower part of his face and he had tilted his forehead protector to hide his left eye. He nodded at Mitsuri as greeting.

"It's you," she said with a wry smile. "I knew it."

"How have you been?"

"Well enough. But it seems like I caught your habit of being late."

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At the watchtower, Kakashi rested on the railing while his charges sat on the steps. It was the usual place where he took his students during the first meeting.

"Sensei," Omu spoke up.

"Hm?"

"Who was that lady we saw earlier? The one who's Konohamaru's sensei." The kid grinned slyly. "Is she your... this?" He waved his pinky in the air while Rio and Temiko laughed.

Kakashi chuckled and sweatdropped. "She used to be my student."

"Oh."

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Meanwhile, Mitsuri took her team to the training field to wait for her teaching partner. When they arrived, an all too familiar guy was there. Mitsuri frowned. "What are you doing here?"

The guy was slightly surprised when he recognized her. "You?"

"I asked you first, Sasuke."

"No, I meant, you're the teacher of the eighth unit?"

Mitsuri's jaw dropped. "Don't tell me you're my partner..." Please, please, please let him say no!

"Yes."

"Sasuke!" Konohamaru exclaimed. "You're Naruto-nii-san's rival!"

The genius ninja grunted and leaned against a tree trunk that had been cut. Mitsuri wanted to choke him but Tsunade might not be happy.

"When did you get out of the hospital?"

"Last night. The injuries you gave me weren't so serious, anyway. They just love to overreact." There was still a black mark on his cheek and Mitsuri could see the cut she gave him on his neck. Suddenly, she felt embarrassed all over again, like when she first found out that he was from Konoha after all. Even if he was an arrogant bastard, Mitsuri was ashamed of what she did to him.

"Listen... I don't say this often so make sure you hear," Mitsuri half-requested, half-ordered Sasuke. He raised an eyebrow. "I am truly sorry." It took a lot of effort for Mitsuri to apologize, but she was prouder than proud that she did it.

Sasuke tried his best to hide his amusement, but couldn't help it when the sides of his mouth turned up a little. He quickly sobered up when Mitsuri glared at him. Why was she always in a bad mood when he was around? Was it because of yesterday? It had been quite unexpected.. He could remember the girl asking him something but he wasn't paying attention at the time. The next thing he knew, she was attacking. And boy, did it hurt.

"What?" Mitsuri snapped. What is he looking at?

Somewhat abashed, which was not in his character, Sasuke looked away. He had not realized that he was staring. His partner and the kids were looking at him curiously. That kid, Konohamaru, was he the one that Naruto always played with? Heh. Those two are idiots. Even with a couple of years added to his life, Konohamaru still had the same big mouth. One would think his head would catch up to his mouth, and his body to his head. Sasuke wasn't so sure about the names of the two other genins. What about the girl? He remembered the nurse at the hospital tell him that her name was Mitsuki or something.

"Mitsuki—" he was about to tell her to proceed to the training but her expression caused his next words to evaporate. What did he do now? He frowned. This whole thing was troublesome. He never wanted to be a teacher but Tsunade practically forced him to accept the job. If he had known that he would be working with the strange, loud girl, he would have flat out refused.

"It's Mitsuri."

"Just go on with the job."

"Mitsuri sensei," Moegi whispered. "Why are you fighting?"

"Fighting?" Mitsuri was a little taken aback. She had not meant to be so hostile towards Sasuke. Especially not in front of the kids. The training was all about teamwork after all. She managed a stiff smile. "We're not fighting. Right, Sasuke-_kun_?"

Sasuke-kun? Stupid girl. A second ago she looked like she was going to skin him right then and there, now she put on an angelic face. Not that she needed to work on her looks, she was good-looking enough without trying. _I must be out of my mind._ Maybe Mitsuri's blows yesterday damaged his brain a bit. He really never noticed the female race before now.

"What are you talking about, Moegi?" Konohamaru raised his forefinger knowingly. "Boyfriends and girlfriends fight all the time."

"NANI!?"

The kids' eyes widened as Mitsuri's hand hovered dangerously over her weapons. They imagined smoke coming out of her ears. She was that mad.

"Konohamaru-kun, sensei looks scary..." Udon said. As usual, his nose was running. He had learned to wipe it off cleanly as he grew older but right now, he was more interested in watching Mitsuri and Sasuke. Suddenly, Mitsuri relaxed and she threw her arms around Sasuke's neck.

Mitsuri laughed inwardly. Seeing as how Sasuke got easily annoyed with her, she figured out a way to make him angrier. She clung to him flirtatiously and said, "You're right, Konohamaru. Couples do fight a lot." With a wink, she gave Sasuke's bruised cheek a peck.

For a moment, he lost his serious and calm expression, replaced by surprise. He looked a little pained, maybe from the wound on his neck. Leaning harder against the tree trunk, he winced when Mitsuri's lips made contact with his painful cheek, no matter how softly. He had been lying when he said his injuries weren't serious. They hurt most like hell. But what surprised him more was that he didn't quite move away from her as he usually did when touched by another person, male or female. What game was Mitsuri playing? He was losing, and fast.

Moegi's eyes practically had hearts in them. Sasuke sensei was so kawaii! It made sense for a pretty girl like Mitsuri sensei to be his girlfriend. Moegi hummed thoughtfully. An idea was forming in her mind. She turned to her teammates while the two jounins were not watching.

_Why isn't he freaking out by now?_ Mitsuri had expected her fellow jounin to push her away or at least glare at her with his heart-stopping sharp eyes. Heart-stopping? Well, she had to admit that Sasuke was attractive. Cold, but attractive. She immediately wished she hadn't acted so impulsively. With a blush she prayed nobody saw, she unwound her arms from his neck and was about to move back when a thick rope worked itself around her, Sasuke and the tree trunk.

Sasuke was beginning to get wary of surprises. The rope forcing the girl against him was no exception. Judging from her startled look, Sasuke knew she hadn't expected it either. Unfortunately, neither of them could free themselves because their hands couldn't reach any weapon and were too far apart to form any seals. The wood was digging its way into Sasuke's back and it didn't feel good. On the other hand, he wasn't sure if being this near to Mitsuri felt good or not. He didn't rely on his sense of feel much, maybe from lack of use. All he excelled at was being bitter. But that was before.

"What are you doing?" Mitsuri struggled to look at the laughing kids, which was hard to do in her state. She grit her teeth as the rope burned the skin on her waist. She bit her lip from the pain. "Get this rope off immediately!" As much as she enjoyed being pushed against Sasuke, she'd rather have him do it himself than being forced to do so because of a ridiculously good trick by some genins.

Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon laughed but when Mitsuri threatened to fail them, Udon began to get nervous. He convinced the others to cut the ropes. Mitsuri, horrendously angry and not wanting to do something she might regret, dismissed them without the usual first-meeting introductions. When the kids left, Sasuke noticed the welt on Mitsuri's back. "Are you all right?"

It was amazing how from major annoyance, Mitsuri's feelings toward Sasuke shifted to 'like'. She used to think that spending more time with another person made their flaws clearer and would therefore discourage further attraction. But in their case, their first impression of each other wasn't good, so maybe her philosophy worked in reverse? "I'm fine. What about you?"

Sasuke shrugged to show he was OK, too. Not fully convinced that the girl was all right, he said, "Let me see." He felt brain-dead when he saw her cute, puzzled expression.

"See what?"

"What the rope did to your skin."

"Oh." Mitsuri allowed him to check out her welt. She could feel a blush creeping into her cheeks as Sasuke lifted her shirt a little. Geez. She really hated it when people touched her, any part of her, even her _ clothes_. She nearly jumped when he placed a hand on her back. "What are you doing!?"

"Does it hurt much?"

"I can handle it!" Regaining her confidence, Mitsuri walked away only to find out that she was heading for the wrong direction. She about-faced. "I've just decided to go that way," she said, refusing to admit her mistake.

Sasuke had to grin as he watched her leave. Something about her intrigued him. It could be her inconsistent mood or the fact that underneath the tough exterior, she was such a prude. How old was she anyway? She couldn't be older than he was. Well, what did he care.

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Hope you liked it! Lemme know what you think by e-mailing me or by submitting a review. Thankee!

Author's Note: Just minor changes. Hope you still like it, or if you didn't, I hope you do now. Uhm... it's really up to you :D .


	2. Instant Parents

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Still hope you enjoy this one... ...

Author's Note: Minor changes made. :D

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Kakashi caught sight of noticeable green hair among the customers of Ichiraku Ramen. Only one girl had green hair in the entire country of Fire. Kakashi sat on the stool beside her and said, "Yo," just as she was about to shovel noodles into her mouth.

"Kakashi sensei!" she exclaimed. She motioned towards her bowl of Miso ramen. "Let's eat."

"How was your first day?"

"A disaster," Mitsuri answered with a groan. She rolled her eyes. "And my teaching partner is Uchiha Sasuke, too. That brat—" Wait. Why was she talking like she didn't want him to be her partner? Was she so used to not liking Sasuke that her mind had a hard time adjusting to liking him? Oh the confusion! Or maybe she wasn't really attracted to him.

"Hm?"

"Well, it was quite eventful," she finished lamely. She decided not to tell her sensei about her students' trick and everything else even though she knew she could confide in him. It was just that he had also been Sasuke's teacher, or so Mitsuri heard. Besides, she wasn't used to liking anyone and all that and she didn't know how to react. Oh well, she would have to get rid of her silly infatuation soon, if she wanted to leave her mind in peace. Remembering her manners, she turned to Kakashi. "What about you? How was your afternoon?"

"Better than when you were my student," he said. He was joking, of course. But as the saying goes, 'in every joke, there is always a bit of truth.' Mitsuri raised an eyebrow suspiciously. She knew she had been a hard-headed pupil back then. Come to think of it, she was still hard-headed now.

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10 years ago

"Don't waste your chakra on pranks, Mitsuri," scolded Kakashi for the umpteenth time. Somehow, he understood her restlessness. Coming from a six-year old girl, pranks were definitely part of the package. Then how did this little worm graduate at such a young age? _Like you,_ said a tiny voice in his head. At exactly the same age, he had finished school and had easily passed the chuunin selection exam. Maybe he should get his students focused on training for the exam.... that would give them something better to do than planning mischief. Not that they needed to plan to make trouble.

"What's there to do? I'm bored," little Mitsuri drawled lazily. "Somebody should tell old man Hokage to give us jobs that aren't crappy. I mean, pulling the weeds from the feudal lord's wife's garden isn't exciting! Except when she kicked Junko's butt for pulling her precious herbs."

"They looked like weeds," Junko defended herself.

Fusubi threw a pebble at Kakashi. "Like Mitsuri-chan asked, what's there to do?"

"How would you guys like to enter the chuunin exam? It's coming up next week. I can nominate you so Hokage-sama will give you passes."

"Do you think we're ready?" Junko asked worriedly.

Though Mitsuri was quite hyper and naughty, she was a loyal and supportive friend. Right then she put an arm around Junko's shoulders protectively. "Of course he thinks we're ready! Kakashi sensei wouldn't nominate us if he didn't think so. Don't worry Junko, I'll watch your back. Fusubi and I will, OK?"

"OK."

Kakashi smiled to himself, which wasn't hard to do, since the only visible part of his face was his right eye. Having a student like Mitsuri was like having to deal with an unpredictable weather everyday. He liked it. In most of his sixteen years, there were always challenges and he was growing accustomed to them. What would he do without them?

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Present day

"I wasn't always bad," Mitsuri insisted.

"No, you weren't."

A little surprised at his ready agreement, Mitsuri quickly recovered and let out a belly laugh. The most natural she ever had in many days. She pinched Kakashi's cloth-covered cheek and went on eating.

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Tsunade steeled herself for a litany of complaints when she saw Sasuke walk toward her. She shouldn't have paired up those two. That way, she could have saved herself from trouble. But a woman like her squashed every sign of regret that would seep in to her mind. Besides, it was advantageous that the two teenagers had both been under Kakashi's training, although at different times. At least their mottoes wouldn't clash. Anyway, she makes the rules around here. With a sigh, she told Sasuke, "I don't have time to listen to your trash, Sasuke. I've already said the word, you will remain Mitsuri's co-teacher. Got it?"

"I want information on her."

"Oh, is that all?" The Godaime went to a steel cabinet and searched for Mitsuri's file. As soon as she found it, she tossed it to Sasuke. "You can bring that home, but return it when you're done. Be careful, those are original updated documents."

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The Uchiha house was silent. Sasuke lived alone ever since his entire clan was massacred by his own older brother. Just two years ago, he succeeded in avenging his family's death by killing Itachi but he didn't feel as good as he had thought he would. Nevertheless, his days seemed lighter when he fulfilled his goal. Now all he needed was to find a new goal. Something to forget the gore that had been following him since childhood. Having his brother's blood on his hands would never be easy to forget. With Mitsuri's file in front of him, Sasuke allowed himself to absorb the information.

_Name: Odagi Mitsuri_

_Country: Fire_

_Village: Konoha_

_Rank: Jounin_

_Age: 16_

_Missions:_

_S – 08 all completed_

_A – 84 all completed_

_B – 65 all completed_

_C – 47 all completed_

_D – 24 all completed_

_GENERAL INFO (including the mentioned above) : _

_834 ninjutsu ; high-level genjutsu ; high-level taijutsu _

_Unique ability/ies:_

_Mind-reading_

_Background: _

_An orphan left on Sandaime's steps. Bloodline unknown. Graduated from the ninja academy at age six, and was then under the training of Hatake Kakashi. Became a chuunin on the same year. Became a jounin at age nine and was offered a slot as leader of ANBU but declined the job._

Sasuke read every page of Mitsuri's profile and accomplishments. He couldn't believe that she had mind-reading ability. Even with the enormous power of his Sharingan, he was not able to read minds. Did she read his mind earlier? He hoped not. He would really have to be careful about his thoughts when around her. Damn. He was going to be around her _everyday_. When he read that Kakashi was her teacher, he was surprised. He didn't know. Sasuke felt slightly ashamed that though Mitsuri was younger than he was, she graduated at a much younger age. He was twice her graduating age when _ he_ got promoted from the academy! Frustrating... but s_ugoi_.

_----------_

"Mitsuri sensei! YOU'RE LATE!" shouted Konohamaru. He, Moegi, Udon and Sasuke sensei had been waiting at the training field for her since six o'clock. They had to wait for almost two hours.

"Well, you see, I—" Mitsuri began. She stopped when Sasuke rolled his eyes.

Heh. _She's just like Kakashi_, Sasuke thought. She was glaring at him. Did she know what he was thinking?

Mitsuri wondered why he looked so nervous. Did she really look angry enough to make him sweat? "Uh, let's start." A hand tugged at her shirt so she looked down at Moegi's sorry face.

"Gomen nasai, Mitsuri sensei," she apologized. "About yesterday... We were just fooling around. Gomen nasai."

"That's all right! I've forgotten all about it!" She lied. Mitsuri smiled kindly at the kid. Moegi looked so sincere. She was just like Mitsuri when she was younger, minus the sweetness. "OK, everybody, listen carefully. Sasuke sensei will explain our activity for today."

??? Damn that woman. She knew he disliked talking. _She's just trying to get on your nerves_, a tiny voice in his head said. Did she hate him that much? Apparently, she did. Wasting no more time, Sasuke went straight to the point. "Your job is to get these two bells from us. One will be with Mitsuri and the other with me."

"Is that all?" Udon asked.

"Hai," replied Mitsuri with a grin. "But don't think that this will be easy."

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Hours later, Team Eight dragged their tired butts to whatever they can sit on. They still hadn't managed to get a single bell from their senseis. It didn't even look like they were trying hard not to be caught yet the kids still couldn't get a hold of even one! Were Konohamaru and the others really weak? No. Mitsuri sensei and Sasuke sensei were just too strong for them.

"What's the matter?" Mitsuri asked, leaning against a tree trunk. She tried to look bored when inside she was laughing gleefully as she watched her students' exhausted expressions. "Tired so soon?"

"So soon?" Moegi gasped. "It's been _hours_. And we haven't eaten lunch yet!"

Sasuke grunted. He remembered Kakashi telling his team back then not to eat breakfast because they might throw up. Turned out he just wanted them to be hungry enough to work hard on their get-the-bell survival training, since those who couldn't get one will not get lunch. These kids were lucky he and Mitsuri weren't as merciless. He watched as Mitsuri walked toward him.

"Do you think we should pass them?" Mitsuri whispered. "I mean, they worked _together_, but there's two of us... It's too difficult for them, don't you think?"

He shrugged. She was right, of course. "What do you think?"

"I asked you first!" she hissed back. She glanced at the students, who were still sprawled all over the grass.

She looked so damn cute when she was mad. Heck, she looked cute _ whenever_. Sasuke could feel a lump in his throat as she got nearer. Why didn't he feel like this yesterday? They had been closer then. Why now, when she was just standing there and not pressed against him? He shook his head. Maybe he was hungry or something and it was making him overthink. And about thoughts, who knew if she wasn't reading his right then and there? "Just do what you want with the kids," he said roughly, taking his mind off her warmth.

"You don't seem to take this seriously," she said with a pout. "We're responsible for 'the kids', Uchiha."

Did she just call him by his last name? He was sure she did that to annoy him. It worked. He sighed and turned to the dead tired students. Unbelievable. They didn't even budge. A good ninja would always look for an opportunity to achieve his goal. But these children were just complaining and generally doing nothing useful. Do they even deserve to pass? On the other hand, they showed a lot of teamwork. He guessed maybe they just lacked jutsu training. "We'll pass them."

"Really?" Mitsuri's grey eyes grew wide. Then she smiled, indicating that she was pleased with the decision. He might not be so insensitive after all. She resisted the urge to hug him. Feeling sure he could read her mind, Mitsuri blushed. Humph! _She_ was the one who could read minds, not him. "Let's tell them now."

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Lemme know what you think! -anko-dono- 


	3. Ordinary Day!

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Anko-dono: Here's chapter 3! .

To: Shells() ---Thanks for the review! Yup, Sasuke is a jounin here.

New Author's Note: Minor changes made. :D

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Konohamaru jumped up and down when he heard what Mitsuri sensei said. Beside him, Udon was cheering and Moegi was squealing happily. Although none of them succeeded in getting a bell, Mitsuri sensei told them to keep up cooperating with each other. They'd work on their skills and abilities next. So now they were official genins! They wouldn't have to be sent back to the academy. Yeah!

"You may eat lunch now," Mitsuri said. "They're hidden behind those logs."

Together the eighth unit ran screaming to get their food. Mitsuri had to smile. She was starting to like the three of them. The wind was picking up and instead of the usual early afternoon brightness, dark clouds gathered above them. Rain was threatening to come down any time now. Mitsuri gathered the kids and ordered them to sit under a large tree with outspread branches. She looked around for her partner and saw him still leaning against his tree. What does he think about anyway? Fighting the temptation to eavesdrop on his thoughts, Mitsuri squatted on the grass with the kids. She couldn't take her eyes off Sasuke though.

Sasuke had a feeling he was being watched. He turned to look at the kids eating and found Mitsuri staring at him with curiousity etched on her face. When she realized she was caught, she smiled widely then stuck out her tongue. Heh. Sasuke didn't know how to respond to that. His eyebrows met when an arm hooked with his.

Mitsuri giggled triumphantly. "Your senses sure do suck! You didn't notice me at all?"

As usual, he just grunted. Obviously his heart was beating faster because he was caught off guard and no other reason. He decided to ignore Mitsuri's insult and went on staring at the distance. A slap met his cheek, renewing the pain of his still-present bruise. He frowned at the smirking girl beside him. What the hell was that for?

"Don't you dare treat me as if I'm a tree! You're ignoring me, Sasuke," she spat out. "When you said we should pass the team, I thought you weren't so cold. Now I don't know what to think."

Cold? Cold certainly wasn't what he was feeling at the moment. Even when the rain started, his skin felt like it was sunburned. He couldn't deny the fact that he was attracted to Mitsuri. Was it only physical? He wasn't sure. In an almost childlike manner, but he was only actually curious, he asked her, "Am I really cold?"

It took five seconds for Mitsuri to recover from her surprise. She had not expected him to ask her that. In fact, she had not expected him to ask her anything. "I—you—well! In a way..." she finally said. She was relieved when he didn't ask a follow-up question to that. Her arm slipped from Sasuke's as she watched the rain swirl gracefully with the wind. Graceful... She was anything but graceful. Unlike her old teammate, Junko, she was rough and nosiy. And annoying. Disguising a sigh as a yawn, she sat on the grass, feeling tiny drops of rain on her face, arms and legs.

Not on purpose, she began to think about her family, whoever and wherever they were. It was too bad she didn't get to know or love them even for a while. Maybe it was for her own good, because if she had known them, she might be missing them right now. There was one person she missed though. Sandaime. He had given her her family name and made her stay with his family for a few years until she graduated. Then she lived on her own, with Kakashi sensei checking up on her regularly.

Sandaime had told her that someday, when she will get fully-developed as a ninja, they might find out what clan she was from. She was never really told, but she felt that there was a possibility of her belonging to a noble clan. She made sure to report to Tsunade every time there was a change in her. The time she told her about her mind-reading ability, Tsunade had said she sort of had a guess as to what clan she belonged to, but she wouldn't say until she was sure. Tsunade also made her promise to tell only those she trusted about such a dangerous ability. That knowledge dispensed would put her in danger of being targeted by the other hidden villages.

"What are you thinking about?" Sasuke spoke up, breaking her train of thought. He had silently sat beside her but he wasn't looking at her face.

"Nothing," Mitsuri answered cheerfully. Somehow she knew Sasuke didn't believe her. Unconsciously she touched the welt on her back and realized that she had forgotten to tend to it yesterday. She couldn't see it but she could feel it. Maybe love was like that.

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Moegi sighed. How incredibly romantic! Sasuke sensei and Mitsuri sensei sitting beside each other, underneath a tree, watching the rain together. With a dreamy smile, Moegi turned to Konohamaru and Udon. "Look at our senseis. Don't they look cute?"

"I guess so," Udon said. He was totally dense when it came to mushy topics like love.

"I like Mitsuri sensei better than Sasuke sensei's other friend," Konohamaru declared. "Do you remember her?"

"You mean Sakura?" asked Moegi.

"Yeah! She's such a bakemono to Naruto-nii-san!" Sandaime's grandson scowled.

"But didn't you say that boyfriends and girlfriends fight all the time?" Udon reminded his friend.

"She wasn't nii-san's girlfriend after all." Konohamaru threw a used chopstick to the targeted stone and crossed his arms. "She was obsessed with Sasuke."

"Where is she now?"

"I don't know. I hope she never shows up."

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"It looks bad." Sasuke caught sight of the rope mark from yesterday on Mitsuri's skin.

"Nah. It doesn't hurt much... I wonder when the rain's going to stop."

Sasuke dared to touch her bruised spot with his hand. He felt Mitsuri stiffen but he didn't remove his hand. She was just like him, she also felt strange when touched by another person. "You did not put ointment on it."

"Yeah," Mitsuri relaxed a bit. "I forgot. Anyway, it's too troublesome to apply medicine on it, because I can't see it unless there's a mirror behind me. I don't want to blob ointment everywhere."

"I'll do it for you," Sasuke said calmly, trying to pin-point the reason why he felt compelled to offer his help.

Mitsuri stared at him in wonder. Was he saying that because she called him cold a while ago? She didn't know him well enough to guess his reasons. "Why would you do that?"

"I just want to."

And that was that.

----------

Fusubi knocked on the door of his old teammate's apartment. It had almost been four years since he last saw her. He was going to visit Junko, too, but he wanted to see her first. "Mitsuri-chan, it's me." The door opened and the expression on Mitsuri's face was worth keeping in his long-term memory.

"Fusubi!" Mitsuri threw her arms around him happily. "What have you been up to? How come you're only showing up now? Come in!"

The two of them went to the living room with Mitsuri chatting faster than Fusubi could catch up. He halted when he saw that there was another person in the room.

"That's Sasuke, my teaching partner." Mitsuri made Fusubi take the seat across Sasuke. "Sasuke, this is Fusubi. He was my teammate."

"Sasuke... Uchiha Sasuke?" Fusubi wondered out loud. Then he noticed the medical kit on the coffee table. "What's this for? Who's wounded?"

"It's not really a wound," Mitsuri answered sheepishly. "Just a little—" Suddenly, she dropped to her knees, coughing and gasping at the same time. Her skin was so pale it seemed as though the blood was drained from her.

* * *

Enjoy! Lemme know what you think.


	4. Which Bloodline Did You Say She's From?

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Author's Note: I'm sorry I took so long! (bows again and again) I'll try to update faser from now on... Enjoy this short one! :)

xl-black-tears-lx : Thanks for encouraging me to keep this up! You've been faithful! Hee-hee...

The Gandhara : Thankee for your criticism! :) ... Although it got me down for a while, I can see that you're right about the slow part. But I kind of like Sasuke's 'messed-up' reactions. I find it cute. LoL.

Neogem : -gasp- Are you sure you wanna know what happens next!? -wink-

crazy crystal : OK, OK, here's the next chap. Don't kill me! I know it's short, but you gotta understand me! The periodical exams are coming up! -chokes herself-

---

NEW Author's Note (as of June 21, 2009): Major changes made. :D .

---

Chapter 4: Which Bloodline Did You Say She's From?

---

"It has something to do with her bloodline limit," Tsunade told the worried Fusubi.

Sasuke was leaning against a wall while the Godaime and the other guy talked about Mitsuri's condition. Tsunade said that the young jounin was resting.

"Fusubi, you know as well as I do that Mitsuri was left on Sarutobi's doorstep, right? No one saw anyone coming. But..."

"But what?"

"The Sandaime always knew who her parents were."

Fusubi's eyes widened slightly. Even Sasuke was interested now. "What do you mean, Hokage-sama?" Fusubi asked. "Who were her parents? Why didn't the Sandaime tell her?"

"I won't tell you everything, just that I believe his decision to be right."

"I don't understand it."

"You don't have to." When Tsunade saw how disturbed Fusubi was, she smiled. "Don't worry, I'm going to talk to her. No doubt she'll tell you about it."

---

A bit dazed, Mitsuri sat up and looked around. The hospital? What was she doing there? Oh yeah, her whole body had freaked out, probably from over-exhaustion. Where were Fusubi and Sasuke? She slid off the bed and walked barefoot to the door.. _Darn these gowns! Couldn't they have made ones that didn't reveal my back to everybody?_

She opened the door and looked around the empty hallway. _Where is everybody? What happened exactly?_ A lot of questions were swimming around in her head and she wanted answers badly. Still without her sandals, Mitsuri hurried to the lobby and bumped into a big nurse. "Oh— sorry, ma'am. Do you—"

Before she could finish, the nurse cut her off. "What do you think you're doing, young lady? Traipsing around the hospital with next to nothing on!"

"Well, I'm sorry," Mitsuri told her with a frown. "I didn't design these, uhm, hospital costumes."

"Go back to your room!"

"Can you at least tell me where Tsunade-sama is?"

The older woman raised an eyebrow. "What could you possibly want from the Hokage?"

"She was the one tending to me earlier, and I wanted to ask her some questions."

"What's your name?"

"Mitsuri. Odagi Mitsuri."

"Ohhh..." the nurse said knowingly. "The Hokage went back to her office already. She left us a message that in case you're awake, she wants you to go to her right away."

"Great! Thanks for telling me, uh..." Mitsuri scanned the nurse's uniform with her eyes but she couldn't see her I.D. "Thanks for telling me, ma'am." She started for the exit but was stopped when she heard the nurse clearing her throat.

"You don't intend to go out wearing only _that_, do you?"

"Oh my gosh! Thanks for reminding me!" The kunoichi rushed back to her room and replaced the hospital gown with her own clothes. Then she headed for the Hokage's office.

---

_Is that...?_ "Sasuke-kun!" A pink-haired girl ran towards Sasuke. It was too late for him to escape. "Sasuke-kun! I haven't seen you for so long! How have you been? You're a jounin now, right? As for me, I'm currently studying at the medical-nin academy..." she droned on and on while the young man in front of her furrowed his brows with annoyance.

_What a stupid girl. She's answering her own questions._ "It's been nice seeing you again, Sakura," he said, interrupting her seemingly endless chatter. "I have to go. See you around." He turned to leave but Sakura grabbed his arm.

-

Author's Note: I'm sorry this is so short... I'm kind of stressed out with school and all (especially since I'm in 4th year high school)... don't worry y'all! I'm doing a Christmas special just for you guys! I'm still going to continue this one, and hopefully, I can update faster during Christmas vacation. Just lemme know what'cha think by submitting a review or e-mailing me. Take care!


	5. I'm Disappointed

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Author's Note: Hey guys! Sorry i'm still slow! forgive me, ne!

rikkufan: you can just click on my name up there (Anko-dono), so you can easily e-mail me. .  
Spellcasterz: sorry Mitsuri's reaction here is sort of unclear... but in the end you'll see how it really affects her!  
SpEcIaLxDoRk: thanks for liking this!  
JapanAnimeGirl: here's another one! :)  
xl-twisted-lx: here u go...  
Rythmic: i'll try my best not to let you down! frustrating... but sugoi. hee-hee!  
Everyone: Kurisumasu omedetou!!!

---

NEW Author's Note (As of June 21, 2009): Major changes made. :D .

---

Chapter Five: I'm Disappointed

---

It was almost four o'clock when Mitsuri entered the Godaime's office. She found Tsunade enjoying a bottle of sake, her assistant sitting beside her. "Hokage-sama?"

"Oi! Mitsuri! You should be resting."

"Hey, Shizune-san. I didn't know you drank," commented Mitsuri, ignoring Tsunade.

"I don't!" Shizune poked her superior and stood up to leave. "I have to go now. See you!"

---

"What are you doing, Sakura?" Sasuke couldn't help but frown. The pink-haired girl was too clingy for his taste, and he hated being touched. _Yeah right,_ a voice inside his head mocked him. _If Mitsuri touched you..._ he politely took his arm from Sakura's grasp.

"Listen, Sasuke-kun," she said. "Why don't we go out later? You know, to catch up on things." She acted as though she hadn't gone around asking Tsunade or Kakashi about Sasuke's life. She knew that he had become a jounin teacher and that he was working with Mitsuri, but she wanted to hear it from the love of her life himself.

"I don't know, Sakura. I still have something to do early tomorrow morning—"

"Please, Sasuke-kun! We'll go home early, ne..."

After a few minutes of not really thinking, Sasuke consented. Sakura beamed and jumped up and down joyfully just as she always did when they were younger. Afterwards, when he had reached home, Sasuke thought maybe he made the right decision when he agreed to go out with Sakura, because he needed a break from thinking about Mitsuri and her background that the Hokage had kept secret.

How did she end up on the late Sandaime's doorstep? Sasuke rested his head on the back of his couch and closed his eyes. He'd been spending a lot of time on that couch lately.

---

"Mitsuri, there's something I have to tell you."

For a moment, Mitsuri was afraid. "What? You look so serious. Am I dying?"

Tsunade laughed. "No, you idiot." Then she became serious. "It's about your family."

_That isn't any less scarier_, Mitsuri thought, beginning to get goosebumps. "What about my family?" she croaked. "Are they alive?"

"No. You have no living relatives left. It's already confirmed. But I do know who they are and what happened to them."

---

Rather confused about how she felt, Mitsuri went to the apartment of her former sensei.

"What's wrong? Mitsuri...?" Kakashi peered curiously at her blank face.

"Ne, Kakashi-sensei. What do you think about the Keiko clan?"

Kakashi fell silent, staring at her for a while. "Why do you ask?"

"I've been told that I belong to that clan."

_I see. Tsunade talked to her already._ He knew all about it, since the day Mitsuri was given to the Sandaime. He wondered how much Tsunade told her. "The Keiko clan is a great clan." He didn't show that he knew all about it.

"I... I don't quite know what to say. Sensei... you don't seem shocked at all."

Kakashi smiled. "Do you want me to be shocked?"

"Well, no. But don't you care? I just found out that I belong to a clan that's been dead for years. That's all Tsunade-sama told me, no other details. She and the Sandaime knew about my family all along. I don't understand anything. I don't even know how they died! It's not in the records. Is it even true that I was left on the doorstep?"

"Yep. Saw it with my own eye." He grinned at his own pun.

Mitsuri sprawled over the couch and groaned. "I am so _so_ disappointed."

"Hn?"

She stood up and headed out the door. "My accomplishments are hardly anything to be proud of. Because I belong to a great clan." Then she left.

Quite startled at what the girl had said, Kakashi watched the door close._ You couldn't read minds yet when you became a jounin. The clan's abilities weren't what got you through. It was your spirit._

---

Sakura glanced at her watch. Eight-forty. They had planned to meet at seven-thirty, so were was Sasuke? _Perhaps he got tied up with something. _ She looked around the restaurant. _He'll be here. He won't let me down. Right?_

_Chandarou! The waiters are starting to give sympathetic looks! How many girls have been stood up here anyway? Stop looking at me you fools! _Inner Sakura snarled and balled up her fists, very different from the calmly waiting girl on the surface. _What if something went wrong? What if Sasuke-kun's in some sort of trouble?_

One more hour passed and Sakura finally stepped out of the restaurant, red-faced and worried. 'I'll go to his house' she decided.

---

"What are you doing here, Sasuke? It's nearly ten," Mitsuri said when she opened the door of her apartment.

"I-I... I have to tell you something."

* * *

Author's Note: -whew- this chapter is finally done. There's not much substance here but I'll make it up in the next chap. I can't update faster during this vacation after all... I mean, i'm always eating. And... and... take the guitar away please! I'm like staring blankly at the computer screen, but instead of thinking what to write next, I think about strumming the strings... :P ... I think I already know how to end this story but it's not for sure yet. Heheh.

Ugh. I also keep thinking about school and all. I still have a lot to do for the school paper and as soon as school reboots, there's this project I have to hand in. Ho hum. I hope my grades haven't gone down. One time my mother told me, "You're always facing the computer, you don't study anymore!" and I go thinking, "When have I ever studied?" -hugz you all-

Please tell me what'cha think by submitting a review or by e-mailing me! -Anko-dono-


	6. A Bad Sign

Author's Note: Heya all... I'm hungry... -grabs a burger- ... ok, so, where were we? Oh yeah, here's the next chap! ... enjoy, ne!

--- Thanks to those who have been faithful in supporting! I care for constructive criticism, so don't worry much about my feelings... -sniff-sniff-

* * *

Chapter Six: A Bad Sign 

"What!?" Mitsuri practically yelled. Sasuke's weird expression was starting to freak her out. She stood there, wide-eyed, heart beating faster as she waited for him to tell her whatever he wanted to tell her. But before Sasuke could say anything, his knees buckled and he held the side of the dor for support. What was going on?

"Mitsuri... I think... I think I'm sick." Then he fell in a heap to the ground. Quick as lightning, Mitsuri dragged his unconscious body to the living room and put him on the couch. She felt his forehead. It was burning hot.

"What an idiot this guy is," she grumbled. He'd nearly scared her to death. "I hope it's just fever, I don't want to bring him all the way to the hospital." She blushed, realizing what she had just said. Fusubi and Sasuke had been so kind as to carry her to medical assistance and here she was, complaining about having to help Sasuke.

_Hmm... I wonder why he's suddenly sick now? Wasn't he OK earlier? Oh well, he must have kept whatever odd feeling he got. Most guys are like that. _She took a wet towel and mopped Sasuke's pale face with it. His breathing was deep and slow, its rhythm made Mitsuri want to curl up beside him. It was a silly thought, although there was enough space on the couch for the two of them.

For someone who acted so cool and tough, Sasuke sure didn't know how to take care of himself. It was understandable, Mitsuri decided. The boy didn't have anyone to look after him after his entire clan was wiped out. As for herself, she had the Sandaime. And Kakashi. Then there was also Junko. Where was she now anyway? She had been the medically inclined one in their team.

The rest of the night, Mitsuri stayed up, waiting for a reaction from Sasuke. _He's sleeping, and I'm not. He better be well enough to handle the kids by tomorrow._

---

3:00 A.M.

"Sasuke-kun..." whispered Sakura to no one in particular. She was back in her own home, sitting worriedly by the window. When she found out that nobody was in the Uchiha house, she had given up, walking to her side of the village. All kinds of scary thoughts entered her head, Orochimaru's face in every one of them. Then suddenly, Inner Sakura woke up. _I bet she's with that Mitsuri girl! They've been spending quite a lot of time together and will continue to do so. Unless... unless if I do something about it!_

She slept peacefully, an idea forming inside her head.

---

6:00 A.M.

"Oi! Mitsuri-sensei! Hurry up!" Konohamaru pounded on the his sensei's door. When he got no answer, he turned the knob and saw that it wasn't locked. With an evil grin, he motioned for his teammates to follow. "Hee-hee-hee-hee-hee..."

"Matte kudasai, Kono-chan!" Moegi grabbed his wrist. "Shouldn't we just wait here? I don't think we should go inside! I mean, Mitsuri-sensei might get mad!"

"She's right, Konohamaru-kun," Udon spoke up. He glanced around uneasily. "Let's just wait here."

Konohamaru sighed dramatically. "All right. If you guys are willing to stand here for three hours, then let's not go in."

At that, his two friends sweatdropped. Udon scratched his head. "Ne, Konohamaru-kun, maybe we should go in after all." The late Sandaime's grandson smiled hugely and slowly opened the door.

Inside, they were shocked at what they saw. "Kono-chan!" Moegi reddened as she looked at their sensei. She was lying on the couch, next to... Sasuke-sensei!

"I didn't know they lived in the same house," Udon said stupidly. He wiped his nose with the back of his hand and continued staring at the sprawled bodies. "Gaah!" he screamed when Mitsuri suddenly sat up.

She looked around groggily, and her eyes fell on the body next to hers. Pinching her cheek to make sure she wasn't dreaming, she jumped up, recalling Sasuke's unexpected visit the night before. Catching sight of her students, Mitsuri raised an eyebrow. "Eh...? What are you guys doing here!?"

"EEEEKKK!!! Mitsuri-sensei! You're disgusting!!!" Konohamaru shouted, pointing at her.

Just as Mitsuri was about to kill him with her bare hands, Moegi quickly stepped between them. "Mitsuri-sensei! Ne! Listen first...! We decided to come here and fetch you. I mean..." she looked down at her toes. "You've been late so far, you know."

The green-haired Keiko girl sent a murderous glare at Konohamaru, who stuck his tongue out at her. _You're lucky Moegi's here,_ her expression told him.

"Sensei, are you mad?" Udon asked from behind Konohamaru. He glanced at the still sleeping Sasuke. "We can leave."

"Ho hum. I'm very very mad! But don't go. Stay here while I change then I'll explain everything." She went to her room and locked the door thinking why the heck she felt like she should explainto these kids. _And why in heaven's name did I lie next to Uchiha?_

---

His head ached.

His whole body ached.

He opened his eyes and focused on an unfamiliar ceiling.

"Ooh, look, he's awake!"

He jerked his head to look at the source of the voice, the quick movement causing him to get dizzy. _Where am I?_ he wondered. _Is that Konohamaru?_ Slowly, he sat up and rubbed his shoulder. "What happened?" he asked. His throat felt dry and he licked his cracking lips.

"You collapsed!" Mitsuri appeared, wearing a grin. "You got fever, dude. Don't worry, I don't think It's really serious. But you're still not up to training today, so I'll take these kids here—" she glared at Konohamaru, "and take care of them myself. Just rest here for a while. Breakfast is there on the coffee table and I'll be back to give you lunch."

"I collapsed?"

"Hai! You showed up at my doorstep last night, then you fainted, so I—"

"—so she put you on that couch and slept next to you!" Konohamaru exclaimed standing beside Moegi for safety.

Eyebrow and mouth twitching, Mitsuri forced a smile. "Y-Yeah. And good thing I didn't catch anything from you!" she said, trying to make light of the situation. She blushed, swearing to herself that she would choke the loudmouthed kid whenever she had the chance. She walked over to Sasuke and whispered, "I didn't do anything, ne," to which Sasuke reddened and took to acting like he couldn't care less.

---

Ahh. Silence. Sasuke's face was still warm when the others left. And it wasn't because of the fever. "That baka..." he muttered, referring to Mitsuri. "She didn't have to say anything. I know she wouldn't do anything." He looked at the large bowl of soup on the table. It didn't look appealing but he decided against not eating it, because he wanted to get well as soon as possible. He hated feeling weak.

Lack of sleep must have been the cause of his unhealthy state. He was no longer bitter, but thinking that he was alone kept him up each night. When he found out about Mitsuri's background, he found hope. That he wasn't alone. That there was someone like him. He would have slept peacefully after that but those restless nights had taken its toll on him. And there he was, too weak to even hold a spoon properly.

"Why did I come here?" His question hung in the air. Deep down inside him, the answer could be found. Only he was too dense to see it.

---

Meanwhile, a certain pink-haired girl was sitting in the Hokage's office, her whole body tense with anticipation. "What do you think, Tsunade-sama?" She flipped her hair back and studied the older woman's face eagerly.

"Aren't you currently studying at the medical-nin academy?"

The girl nodded. "But I have decided to put my classes on hold if you'd agree to my request."

"I don't know, Sakura. I'll have to think about it."

---

By the time Sasuke finished his soup, it was almost lunchtime. He felt better. _She'd probably be here soon._ As if on cue, the door banged open and in walked Mitsuri, carrying bags of food. Seeing Sasuke still gripping his breakfast spoon, she gave him a 'poor you' look and put down the bags on the table.

"Would you like to take a bath?"

Sasuke nodded. A bath would feel good. Mitsuri went to the bathroom and prepared a cold-water bath for him. She had heard others say that using cold water to take a bath was not good for people with fever, but she decided that it wasn't true, because she always used cold water whenever she had fever. "It's ready!" She went back to the living room to help Sasuke up. It was so hard to believe that the young Uchiha survivor was currently needing help in walking.

"Can you undress yourself or should I do it?"

"I can do it," Sasuke muttered crossly. Seeing Mitsuri's hurt expression, he said, "Sorry. I'm sorry for giving you trouble."

"That's OK." She got outside but she didn't close the bathroom door, just in case Sasuke needed something. While she waited she recalled her training with the kids earlier.

'PERVERT!' Konohamaru had screamed, catching the attention of Kakashi's team, who was training nearby. _Embarrassing... _Mitsuri twitched her nose. _And to think that I always call Kakashi-sensei that!_

---

As soon as Sasuke got out of the bathroom, he felt well enough to walk. Mitsuri gave him some of Kakashi's old clothes to wear (Kakashi used to watch over Mitsuri when she was younger).

"Where are you going?" Mitsuri asked him.

"I'm going to take a walk."

"Will you be back?"

"Is it OK?"

"Yeah... sure."

Outside, Sasuke felt familiar chakra. _This chakra..._ he glanced around, his pale lips set in a straight line. He stayed like that for a while, then he went back in, forgetting his walk.

* * *

Let me know what'cha think by e-mailing me or by submitting a review! :) -Anko-dono- 

P.S. next chap will be more on action -looks around for Spellcasterz- enough of the love thing! heheh...


	7. It's Not You We Want, Sasuke

psst! oi, i'm really really sorry for the late update... school can be so cruel. i must admit i've been lazier than usual, though. this chapter is sort of different from the others. i'm not sure how, but i felt different while i was forming it, so it must be. i hope you'll like this.

* * *

Chapter Seven: It's Not You We Want, Sasuke

The next few days were dedicated to training Team Eight and to Sasuke's recuperation. Though Mitsuri was tired with all the things she had to do, she was able to get just enough rest needed by her body. The kids showed great improvement, especially Udon. He may have seemed stupid, but he kept his mind clear during test fights. He had strategy.

Moegi, turned out to be great with her weapons, using them to carry out complex plans of her own. As for Konohamaru, he had great pranks, which Mitsuri secretly enjoyed. His fighting spirit was nothing to laugh out, though. Just when the others have had enough of training, he springs back up, more energetic than before.

Of course, there were always student-and-teacher conflicts (especially between Mitsuri and Konohamaru), but it was nothing to worry about. What bothered Mitsuri was the flagging teamwork showed by her students. Where was their amazing display of it when she first trained them? They were caught up with their own plans and strategies that they forgot to work together.

"You guys rest first. Later, we'll go to the Hokage and see if there's a mission for us."

"Sensei! Sasuke-sensei is here" Moegi exclaimed happily. The two boys glanced at her, making her blush.

"Oi, Sasuke. What are you doing here"

"I'm fine now." The raven-haired guy walked over to Mitsuri, his hands in his pockets. Suddenly, his sharp eyes looked at the direction of the trees behind them.

"W-What" whispered Mitsuri. She wanted to read his mind, but his expression frightened her a bit. Cautiously, she looked around. "Kids... get up. Be on your guard." The students obeyed, somewhat startled at their sensei's tone of voice. By now, all of them could feel the intense chakra hovering over the field.

"Show yourself" Sasuke called out. He and the others gathered in a circle, facing different directions.

"Very well then" an eerie voice said. To the two jounin's dismay, the legendary evil himself materialized before them.

"Orochimaru" Mitsuri screeched. She blushed at her reaction, scratching her head. "Eheheh... gomen ne" She winked at Sasuke. "Oi, Oro. When did you get back into town" _There's someone else out there. Shit! I can't see him. Let's see what Orochimaru's thinking._ She concentrated on reading the older man's thoughts, but... _What's wrong? Why can't I—_

"Mind if I join you"

The newcomer brought out a gasp from Moegi. _Eeyuck! Shark-faced!_

"Kisame" Sasuke muttered darkly. "You're showing up now? Didn't you run away when I killed my brother"

"Hah! Don't flatter yourself, fool" The S-rank criminal sneered. "You're not strong. He didn't fight you, that's why he's dead now."

Konohamaru and Udon tensed up. They couldn't believe that the ugly guy had insulted their sensei"You bastard" Konohamaru yelled. He was about to attack when Sasuke's forefinger met his forehead, stopping him in his tracks. "Sasuke-sensei! That man trashed you"

"Stay out of this, Konohamaru. Just watch out for your teammates." Then turning to Mitsuri, he said softly"Hold back. Don't show them how much you can do... or they'll take you."

"Get out of the way, Sasuke" Orochimaru said boredly. "And hand over that woman." His voice was carried by the strong gust of wind. He grinned.

_Sinister._ Mitsuri shivered.

"Keiko woman." Crossing his arms, Kisame stared down at the innocent-looking Mitsuri. "If you will go with us willingly, we won't harm any of your friends."

"Like hell I'll go with you" she snarled. In a blink, she was above Kisame, ready to strike him with the Yukihira sword that suddenly appeared in her hands. Kisame moved back, away from Mitsuri.

He took out his own Samehada. "That's a beauty you have."

-

Meanwhile, Sasuke stood facing Orochimaru. He wondered how the snake had learned about Mitsuri's bloodline when it was just discovered. The seal Sasuke had received from Orochimaru had disappeared two years ago, when Itachi died. He broke free from his world of pain and bitterness, and from Orochimaru's hold on him.

"You've grown up." Yellow eyes bore into black ones.

"So I have."

"I really did want your body, Sasuke. But now, something better's come up." He laughed evilly, then turned serious. "You see me in my old appearance now, but this is just an illusion that I asked Kisame to do for me... this is what I really look like." He slowly transformed.

Sasuke's eyes widened. _What the—?_ Sweat poured from every pore of his body. "You used Kabuto's body"

"Kukuku..."

"That explains why you accepted Kisame." The young Uchiha frowned. "You needed another assistant."

"Enough talk. Just stay out of our business."

"It's my business to protect a fellow Konoha shinobi." _As long as I don't get too near him, I can escape his sword,_ Sasuke thought. _It looks like he's still unable to perform seals..._

Orochimaru sneered. "I see you've been brainwashed with that 'protecting your loved ones' trash talk, too."

A split second later, Sasuke felt his whole body freeze. _Wha—?_ Everything slowly turned black, and the last he heard was Orochimaru's laughter.

"Still weak." The pale-skinned man looked on as the young boy slumped forward. "You shouldn't have talked too much." He turned his attention to Kisame and Mitsuri. He had suspected for quite some time that there was a Keiko survivor, and he decided to pay Konoha a little visit to see for himself if there was indeed a living Keiko. So far, the girl hadn't denied the bloodline. It was clearly true.

Eyebrows furrowing, Mitsuri concentrated on reading her opponent's thoughts, but to her surprise, her attempt was unsuccessful. _What is this? I can't get through to Orochimaru's mind, too. Is my ability failing?_ She gasped as Kisame's sword made contact with her right shoulder, ripping off a small part of her leather blouse.

"You don't seem like much" Kisame said with a grin. "You won't be able to use your right arm for a few seconds." He charged, ready to strike the unmoving girl. But just as he lifted his sword, a large wall of fire blocked his way. The fire spread on the grass and formed a square cage around Kisame. ""

It was Mitsuri's turn to grin. She flexed her arms and looked at Kisame through the flames. Putting her Yukihira into the sling that wasn't on her back a moment ago, Mitsuri said"I'm not stupid. I know that you're not the real Kisame in there. But I'm sure you can hear from wherever you're hiding, so let me tell you this: I don't need to exert much effort to kill you."

From a distance, Team Eight stared wide-eyed at their female sensei. Her expression was one that they had never seen before. It almost seemed evil. Was this really Mitsuri-sensei? Moegi swallowed hard as she gripped her kunai tightly, she turned her head and saw Sasuke unconscious on the ground. Trying hard not to hyperventilate, Moegi shut her eyes. _There's nothing to worry about. Mitsuri-sensei can finish them all off. Besides, no one's even paying attention to us. Because we're just kids. What can we do?_

"_Psst._"

Moegi opened her eyes when she heard Konohamaru. "What is it"

"We don't stand a chance against these guys" Konohamaru told Moegi and Udon. "But we can distract them, to help Mitsuri-sensei."

"Do you think it can really help her" Moegi asked.

Konohamaru nodded. "Let's just run around that ugly shark guy—"

"You three go to Sasuke and see what he needs" Mitsuri called out from where she stood. "Don't get involved in my fight. And oh, Konohamaru, no time for tricks now, OK"

"Baka! Don't you think I realize the seriousness of the situation" the red-faced kid yelled. He growled and led his teammates to where Sasuke lay sprawled. He was angry, but he was also relieved that Mitsuri looked and sounded just about normal again.

Coming out from nowhere, the real Kisame stood before Mitsuri, who put out the fire prison. "You don't need much effort in killing me, eh" Kisame repeated in a gruff voice.

"Don't lose your cool, ne" Orochimaru told him. He sneered. "She's right, anyway." The older man's words caused Kisame to grit his teeth in anger.

"Let's get the show started" Mitsuri hollered. She put a hand on her hips and put on a big smile. When there was no response from her enemies, her eyebrow and the side of her mouth twitched. "Eh? The two of you are so rude" With a pout, she crossed her arms.

_This woman is crazy,_ Kisame thought. He glanced at Orochimaru, who was chuckling in a creepy manner. "Should I get her"

"I'd allow you to if I thought you could. But right now, my abilities are limited and you're nowhere near her level. Let's go."

"Eh? Oi! Leaving so soon" Mitsuri shouted as Orochimaru and Kisame disappeared into thin air. With a huff, Mitsuri stomped towards Sasuke and her students. "I wanted to fight Orochimaru." She knelt beside Sasuke and woke him up from the genjutsu he was trapped in.

Sasuke sat up quickly. "Where are they"

"They left" Mitsuri said, gripping his hand to help him up, but Sasuke roughly shrugged her off. Looking confused, Mitsuri shrugged as the raven-haired boy stood up by himself. _What's wrong with him?_

_Shit. That old man knocked me out in less than a minute. Am I really that weak?_ Glaring at Mitsuri, Sasuke walked off to the direction of his house. He was already well enough to take care of himself so he didn't need to go to his co-teacher's house anymore. He needed time to think.

Old familiar feelings were rekindled after he met Orochimaru and Kisame. Tension built up inside of him. No matter how he tried to get back on his feet after his family died, he never really succeeded. He thought his problems were finished when he killed his brother, but he was wrong. As long as there was somebody stronger than he was, he would always feel uneasy.

Why was a girl like Mitsuri stronger than he was? She seemed dumb and clumsy, yet she was stronger. The Uchiha was a great clan, too, although not in the same level as the Keiko. But Mitsuri had never received training from her family, so shouldn't the two of them be equal?

"I couldn't read their minds, Kakashi," Mitsuri told her former sensei. "Maybe there's something wrong with my ability..."

"What did Tsunade say?"

"I didn't tell her about it. I just said that I got so caught up fighting that I forgot to read their minds." Aside from being troubled about not being able to read her opponents' minds, Mitsuri was worried about Sasuke. His reaction earlier had been unexpected. Was he angry at Orochimaru? Or was he angry at her?

"It's most likely Orochimaru found a way to guard his thoughts."

"And Kisame's, too."

Kakashi nodded. "Why don't you try reading my thoughts"

"OK." With utmost concentration, Mitsuri did as she was told.

_I wonder when the next volume of Icha Icha Paradise is going to come out. Ami's already—_

"Ugh" Kakashi winced when Mitsuri pinched his cheek.

"You're a pervert who likes to read the works of another pervert" Mitsuri screamed. She snorted and relaxed on the couch. She raised an eyebrow when she noticed that Kakashi was staring at her. "Nanda"

"You're a pervert yourself."

"What are you talking about, idiot."

"Didn't you sleep with Sasuke on this very couch."

"HAH? Who told you that? Anyway, forget that! I'm seriously talking about Orochimaru and Kisame here."

"Well, at least you now know that there's nothing wrong with your ability."

Mitsuri remained silent. She sighed and leaned against the back of the couch with closed eyes. Sighing again, she rested her legs on Kakashi's lap. "I wish I could be an ordinary girl."

"You can't be an ordinary girl, Mitsuri. Because you have extraordinary gifts."

* * *

please lemme know what'cha think by sending me an e-mail or by submitting a review. thankee. :) . 


	8. Time for Change

The Past Catches Up

Disclaimer: Naruto characters, not mine.

---

Chapter 8: Time for Change

Mitsuri stood in front of Tsunade with a blank expression. First she scratched her head. Then her arm. "Ne, Tsunade... What's the reason?"

The Hokage had told her that she was relieved of her duties as Team Eight's teacher. Mitsuri was surprised, but so many things were happening in her life that everything felt hazy, and she didn't know how to react. So she just simply stood there.

"You know Orochimaru is after you," Tsunade explained. "That would endanger the children, don't you agree?"

"I agree." Mitsuri smiled. She didn't argue, but she felt sad. She had grown used to the kids, and had wanted to see them grow up. Now she can't even go near them. "What about Sasuke? Will he keep teaching them?" At least if she wouldn't be there, Sasuke would be able to take care of the kids.

"No. I won't let him. He has some issues he needs to deal with, mostly it's all in his mind. But still, that can affect training, too." Tsunade started to shoo Mitsuri off. "Go, go! I have plenty of work to do."

"Tell me first! Who's going to take over Team Eight? Do the kids know already?"

"The kids will be told by the new teacher, Haruno Sakura. Do you know her?"

"Haruno..." Mitsuri tried to recall where she had heard that name. "Sounds familiar, but I don't think I know her."

"She was Sasuke's teammate. One who specializes in medicine." By now, Tsunade had shoved off mounds of papers from her desk in annoyance. Seeing that she would never get in the mood for work that morning, she decided to just sit there and wait for things to happen.

"Oh, so she was under Kakashi, too? I'm glad. I'm sure she's going to do OK. Thanks for explaining everything to me, Hokage-sama. By the way! I wanted to know... when this Orochimaru thing blows over, can I have Team Eight back?"

"Yes, you can. Depends on when that will be, though."

"OK, OK. See you!"

---

It was morning, but his room was dark. The windows were all closed and covered with blinds, keeping out whatever light from the outside. Sasuke was sitting on the floor beside his bed, doing nothing, thinking nothing. He had been like that since the night before, and his body was growing numb. He couldn't sleep because he was disgusted with his weakness.

The Hokage had informed him yesterday that he no longer needed to see to the kids' training, and he welcomed the news. He didn't want to be with anyone, he didn't want to be near Mitsuri. After their battle with Orochimaru and Kisame, Sasuke had played the scenes over and over in his head until he had gone somewhat crazy. He always kept silent, but his mind worked overtime.

---

"NANI!?!?!?!?!?" Sakura screamed. "What do you mean Sasuke-kun's not going to be teaching anymore!? Kyaaaaaa, Tsunade-sama! He wasn't supposed to quit!"

"Hm?" A few minutes after Mitsuri left, Sakura had entered her office. Tsunade was still in a so-so mood, so she just nodded calmly at the girl and sipped her juice.

"I wanted to work with Sasuke-kun, that's why I offered to take Mitsuri's place!"

"You told me your medical experiences would make you a good teacher, probably even better than Mitsuri. You never mentioned anything about Sasuke. Well, it's my decision that they keep off from teaching jobs for now, and I won't change it. It's your duty to train those kids, so go and explain to them why you're there and why those two are not."

---

Somewhere in the woodsy part of Konoha, Orochimaru and Kisame could be found. They were discussing a certain little matter named Mitsuri, and Orochimaru was overcome with glee.

"Kukukuku... such great abilities," the snake murmured. "I must have those powers, Kisame."

"I'll help you get them, if I get to destroy that Uchiha kid." Kisame had never been able to get over the fact that his former master and companion had allowed himself to be killed by such a weakling. _Itachi had a soft side, after all,_ he thought with a small sinister grin. "I can't stand that face of his."

"That beautiful face? I've coveted it for so long. But you can kill him. He's of no use to me now... such a pretty face, too bad." Orochimaru was still in his own form. He didn't want to appear as Kabuto, because he believed his own body looked more commanding.

"So how are we going to get that Keiko? You said she's too powerful for us."

"We'll make our move next week," Orochimaru said with a chuckle. "My people will be here by then. They're attending to something right now, but by the time they're here, things will go smoothly."

---

"SENSEI!" Temiko yelled. She ran towards Kakashi and breathlessly told him that someone was looking for him.

"Hm?"

"It's that girl... You know, your old student! That girl with green hair, the one Omu said was your girlfriend!" The young girl's words were all rushed and mixed together, but her teacher got the point.

_Mitsuri. _"Where is she?"

"Over there," Temiko replied, pointing towards a bench near the spot where his two other students were playing cards.

Kakashi went over to Mitsuri and sat beside her. "What's up?"

"Oi, Kakashi, you're not training the kids. They're just lounging around!" The female jounin glanced around and saw signs of total relaxation all over the place. "Is this really all right? I mean, how are they ever going to become stronger?"

"Today is their break. But I still want them together, work on teamwork and all."

"Break? These kids have breaks?"

"Well, they're pretty amazing."

"Well, you're pretty lazy," Mitsuri shot back.

"Smart mouth." Kakashi pinched her cheek, partly avenging himself for the many times that Mitsuri had pinched his own cheek, and partly because he just wanted to do it. He grinned with satisfaction when he saw her pained expression.

"Idiot." Mitsuri rubbed her now red cheek and glanced at Kakashi.

"What have you come here for, anyway? You're not here just to lecture, are you?" the silver-haired man drawled. He had been reading the latest volume of Icha Icha and he was eager to get back to it. But he always found time for Mitsuri. He knew she would never see him during his work hours unless she was thinking about something important, or something was bothering her immensely and she needed someone to dump her thoughts on. "Did Orochimaru show up again?"

"Nah... Ne, Kakashi."

"Hm?"

"I'm not Team Eight's teacher anymore. That job's been taken over by one of your old students, Haruno Sakura."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Sasuke's not teaching, too. Tsunade said he had some issues to think about."

"Must be disappointing for Sakura," Kakashi mused.

"Huh? How come?"

Kakashi ignored the question and just yawned. He winced when Mitsuri's fist made contact with his face. He knew she was mad because he had yawned in the middle of a conversation with her, but he was used to it. He didn't even bat an eyelash. He just stared at Mitsuri and asked if that was the news she came all the way to tell.

"Well, no. Ne, Kakashi..."

"Hm?"

"People have been acting weird around me lately." Mitsuri was playing with her hands, not looking at Kakashi.

"What do you mean?"

"Fusubi was one of those who took me to the hospital. When I came to, he was gone," she mumbled. She finally looked at Kakashi. "Isn't that weird? He left without leaving any message. When I asked Tsunade about it, she told me he'd gone off to a mission. Just like that. Doesn't he care? Tsunade said he knows about my being a Keiko... but he didn't leave any message at all."

"Everything will be OK," Kakashi assured her. "Fusubi's the kind of guy who has reasons for everything. Besides, he was just back for a short while. You should be glad to know you're the first one he visited just after he got back from a previous mission."

"Really?" Mitsuri's face lit up. She had been worried about Fusubi, but now she felt better. "I guess he's always been a busy guy. That part didn't change about him." She grinned at Kakashi and hugged his arm. "Thanks for telling me that, sensei."

Kakashi was a little surprised. Mitsuri hadn't called him that in a very long time, but he didn't say anything about it. He cleared his throat. "You mentioned people?"

"Oh, yeah. There's also—" she started to speak. Then she stopped.

"What?"

"Never mind." She stood up. "I'm going. Thanks for listening to me."

"Any time."

---

Mitsuri walked off, not knowing fully why she had left without telling Kakashi about what was really bothering her. _Why couldn't I tell him that I was worried about Sasuke? I always tell him everything._ She didn't have a problem telling her former teacher about Fusubi, so why should things be different regarding Sasuke? She shook her head firmly, as if to brush off the obvious declaration of her heart's heart: that she cared for Sasuke. That she had feelings for him. And she was afraid of being found out.

But she couldn't allow herself to think that. It was all too ridiculous. _Why is it ridiculous?_ She asked herself. She couldn't answer. Because there was no answer.

Just then he passed by a sushi shop. She halted when she heard a whiny voice mention her name. _What?_ Standing near the entrance, she hid herself behind the wall and listened.

"... what's so great about her, anyway?" the voice was saying. "Keiko, Keiko, who the hell cares about that? It just proves that her skills are all thanks to her bloodline!"

"Maybe so," another voice replied. "But I'm sure she worked hard, too."

"So what? She'd have never become a jounin if not for her genes, you know. I'm sure of that! And I bet she's been hogging Sasuke-kun all too herself. I can't allow that! And look at the mess I'm in now!" the whiny voice was wailing now.

"Don't say such things, Sakura. Nothing can be done without hard work and determination," the other voice said.

"Oh you're too kind, Hinata! Keiko Mitsuri is nothing but a first class btch!"

Mitsuri couldn't believe her ears. On ordinary days, she would have walked in and clobbered up the owner of that annoying voice. But it had to happen on that day. She had been doubting herself lately, and she couldn't help wondering if maybe all that has been said was true. _Maybe she's right_, Mitsuri thought, walking on towards nowhere. _Maybe it's all just because of the clan I'm from..._ If only she wasn't a Keiko. She didn't care about special clans and all that. She just wanted to excel by her own abilities. _If only I'm not a Keiko..._

She had been walking blindly, and when she bumped into another person, she wasn't prepared. She couldn't steady herself in time. When she saw the dark-looking man standing above her, she blinked. "Sasuke!" Mitsuri hurriedly stood up and faced her former partner.

Sasuke glanced at her, but no words were said. He just went on his way without looking back.

"Sasuke!" Mitsuri followed him, but he never stopped. "Sasuke, wait! Why are you like this? What did I do? You've been ignoring me since the time we fought Orochimaru! I'm sorry I caused you trouble, but don't be like this!" Her voice was pleading, but it showed no effect.

Hearing her words, Sasuke suddenly wanted to stop everything and just hold her close. He had become fond of her, but she was also a reminder of his lack of strength. And thinking about that, he ignored everything else.

"Sasuke!" Mitsuri was near tears now. She had never felt so rejected all her life. By now they were outside the sushi shop, where Mitsuri had heard those terrible words about her.

At the sound of a sob in Mitsuri's voice, Sasuke paused. Mitsuri stopped, too. She stared at his back. He appeared to be thinking, and when he impatiently ran his fingers through his black hair, it was apparent he was struggling with himself about something. Then he left, in a more decisive pace. Mitsuri looked after him but no longer followed. It looked hopeless.

_What's going on? Why am I even doing this? I must be crazy!_ She stood there, mentally berating herself for having displayed such poor control over her emotions. She hadn't cried, but she had come close to it. Her head turned to a pink-haired girl who had come from the sushi shop. The girl had watched her during the excitement, and now she spoke.

"You're embarrassing. You must be Mitsuri," the girl said. "Chasing after Sasuke-kun like that. He doesn't care for you, you know. Your clan's great, but that's all there is to it."

"The Uchiha clan's not exactly a clan of losers, you know," Mitsuri retorted, not knowing why she said that.

"Whatever. Sasuke can't abide people who ride on their bloodline's success. He's lived on his own all his life." With that, the girl went back into the shop.

"So have I... In a way... so have I," Mitsuri said weakly to no one. And it was true. She hadn't grown up with her true family, she hadn't even known them. So why would Sasuke be mad at her about that? It wasn't her fault she was a Keiko.

---

That Night...

"Mitsuri?"

"Can I come in?"

Kakashi opened the door wide. "Sure. Come on in." He sat down on the couch, followed by Mitsuri. "Is something wrong?"

"Kakashi, I've been thinking."

"About what?"

"Isn't there a way to seal abilities? There is, right? Tell me there is!"

"What for?" Kakashi asked cautiously.

"Just tell me." Mitsuri's voice had a steely edge when she said that.

"All right. There is."

At those words, Mitsuri seemed lighter. She grabbed Kakashi's hands. "Kakashi, can you do that to me?"

Kakashi took his hands from Mitsuri and stared off into space for a while. "What for?"

"I have my reasons." Anybody could see she was serious.

"Do you know what that means?"

"Yes. I'm prepared to take the consequences."

"I can't, Mitsuri."

"Why not? You can, I know you can."

"But I won't."

"Why not?" Mitsuri's face was red now. She knew Kakashi would be difficult to persuade, but she still couldn't help getting mad. "Just do it, sensei. You have my full permission."

"You don't have mine."

"I don't need your permission!" Mitsuri stood up and kicked at the coffee table. She was acting like a spoiled brat but she was losing her temper. "Just do it."

"Mitsuri... it wouldn't be good for you."

"Having these abilities aren't good for me." Her eyes were filled with tears, but she held them back. "What do you know, sensei? You don't know everything about me."

_That's true... Lately I don't know many things about you._ "Why don't you tell me all about it?" He noticed that Mitsuri was starting to call him 'sensei' again, and he wondered whether this meant she was undergoing some sort of change.

"I—I can't. Just do it. Please."

Kakashi saw her lips quiver, and realized that she was close to crying. He hadn't seen her like that in years. For the first time in a long time, he truly worried about Mitsuri. She had been doing so well, but when this mess about her bloodline reached it's climax, her whole world seemed to be falling apart. Kakashi wanted to smack his head for not seeing this sooner. How could he not have seen what was going on? "Mitsuri..." he pulled Mitsuri back down and put his arms around her. He felt her stiffen for a moment but soon she relaxed. She buried her face on his shoulder and cried there.

She didn't make a sound but Kakashi knew she was crying. He had taken off his flak vest, and he could feel her tears soak through the material of his black shirt. "Sensei..." she finally spoke. He didn't release her, and she didn't ask to be released.

"Hm?"

"Do you think less of me because I belong to a great clan?"

"I don't."

"Everyone else does."

"Does it matter so much?"

"I thought it did." She raised her head and looked up at Kakashi's face. "But as long as everything's OK with you, I guess nothing else matters."

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. "People you love and people who truly love you won't make you feel bad about yourself."

Mitsuri thought about that for a while. "But sensei... can you just seal this abilities and make them stagnant? Maybe Orochimaru will stop bothering me then."

"I'm not doing it, so just stop asking me to."

"Why not?"

"I don't want to change anything about you. And about Orochimaru, wouldn't fighting him be fun?"

Mitsuri put her arms around Kakashi and hugged him closer. "Arigatou."

---

it's been a long time! Hahah.

tell me what'cha think. If it's loserific or what. Hahah

- Anko-dono


	9. I'll Do It My Way

The Past Catches Up

Author's Note: This is a short chapter... but I've been working on chapter 10 already. This is just something like an intro, that's why it's so sloppy... heheh. Thanks to those who have continued appreciating this story!

Chapter 9: I'll Do It My Way

---

On their way to meet their new teacher, Konohamaru, Moegi ang Udon passed by the famous ramen stall. Moegi's eyes widened excitedly when green hair caught her attention. "Look! It's Mitsuri-sensei! Senseeeiii!!!"

Mitsuri turned her head and smiled hugely at the students she missed so much. "Moegi! Hey you guys!" She jumped up from her stool, ignoring her garlic chili ramen for a while.

"Sensei! Come back to us, ne!" Moegi told her. "The new teacher didn't show up yesterday, so we went to Hokage-sama. She said the new teacher will meet us today." The orange-haired girl sighed.

"The new teacher will probably suck," Konohamaru grumbled.

_I hope not,_ Mitsuri thought. _Oh my precious students!_ "Well, not everybody can be like me!"

"You suck, too, sensei," Konohamaru said, sticking out his tongue, then hiding behind Moegi for safety. Mitsuri glared at him, but she didn't say anything.

"Ne, Mitsuri-sensei... Are you going to teach us again?" Udon asked.

"When Orochimaru stops bugging me, I'll handle your training again," Mitsuri assured him.

"What about Sasuke-sensei?" Moegi wanted to know. She had a little crush on their mysterious teacher, but she also wanted to see the two teachers together. They were both interesting.

Mitsuri shrugged. "I'm not sure about him." Her expression was cheerful, but she felt a little sad at the mention of Sasuke. She wondered when things would go back to normal. She blushed when she remembered what happened yesterday. _Horrible. He was horribly cold to me. I didn't know he was capable of that._

"Eh? You're turning red," Konohamaru said loudly. "I bet you're thinking about that couch and how you—"

"Don't be stupid!" Mitsuri cut him off harshly. Then seeing Konohamaru's surprised face, she quickly amended, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound so angry. But seriously, let's forget about what you saw. I wasn't thinking about that at all." Those good old days. It seemed like such a long time ago, and it felt, to Mitsuri, a dream she had finally woken up from.

"What's wrong, sensei?" Moegi looked at her worriedly. She had never seen Mitsuri so truly angry before, and she decided there must be a reason for her outburst. A really heavy reason.

"Nothing, nothing," their former teacher replied, waving her hands and smiling. "Oi, you kids better go meet your sensei. I hear she had the same teacher I had, so I'm pretty sure she'll be good. Now go!" She nudged them to the direction of the training field and went back to eating her ramen.

"See you!" Team Eight waved goodbye and left.

As soon as they were out of sight, Mitsuri quickly finished her food and sat there for a good long time, watching the cook do his work.

"Mitsuri."

Mitsuri glanced at the owner of the voice. When she saw who it was, her heart leaped. "Fusubi!"

"Hi." Fusubi raised a hand in greeting.

"You're back!" Mitsuri stood up and faced her old teammate. "I missed you! I really did."

At that, Fusubi smiled and gave the girl a rough hug. "I'm sorry I had to leave right away. It was an S-rank mission. I was going to decline it, but Tsunade said it was a good way to keep me from worrying about you. It didn't work." His eyes twinkled as he held Mitsuri's right hand. "Let's take a walk."

Something about Fusubi's being there refreshed Mitsuri. His presence was a comfort, a comfort she sorely needed. They headed for the wooded area of the village, seeking to bask in the richness of nature. "I'm glad you're here, Fusubi."

"So am I..." He tightened his hold on her hand and looked at her face. "Are you OK, now?"

The genuine concern he showed made Mitsuri's lip quiver. She wanted to bawl like a child, but she couldn't stand how weak she had been lately, so she willed herself to stay calm. She didn't smile, but she didn't cry either. "Yeah, I'm OK. Thanks for asking."

"I see." He continued looking at her for a moment, then he looked away. They had stopped walking, but now he tugged at her hand and went on walking with Mitsuri following along.

"Say, why don't we go see Junko?"

"That's a good idea. But perhaps she's busy. She's holding classes at the Medical Academy, isn't she?"

Mitsuri grinned. "Then I'll have you for myself today."

"Mitsuri."

"Hm?"

"I can see you're physically OK. I'm glad. And I'm still amazed at your being a Keiko, but there are other things I'd rather ask you about." Fusubi's grey eyes were looking ahead, but his back seemed so intimidating to Mitsuri that she freed her hand from his and stopped walking.

"What things?"

Now those grey eyes were staring straight into hers. If he had known the effect they had on Mitsuri, he would have looked somewhere else to spare her the vexation. "I can tell something's bothering you."

_Those eyes... I feel... he can see right through me._ Mitsuri took a deep breath. "Yes, something's bothering me. Many things, in fact."

He waited for her to tell him about it, but when she didn't, he shrugged and smiled again. The seriousness quickly evaporated, and Mitsuri felt released. "By the way, Mitsu-chan, I heard from Tsunade-sama that Orochimaru is after your abilities."

"That's true. Gosh, Fusubi... Orochimaru looks so cool in person."

Fusubi laughed. "That's something you would say."

"If he wasn't a villain, I'd be one of his fans, for sure. I'm a bit flattered that he thinks I'm all that," Mitsuri said with a big grin. "I wonder when he'll show up again. His companion seems OK enough, but too slow." She laughed at her own fullness of herself and grabbed Fusubi's arm. "Let's go see Kakashi! His team's on their first independent mission today, so he's probably home."

"All right, it would be good to see him again."

---

Kisame cleared his throat. "I'm getting a little restless."

His voice seemed to have disturbed the black-haired man nearby. "Just wait, fool."

"I can't seem to wait till next week," Kisame muttered. His destructive nature was surfacing, and he wanted to do something. Like wreak havoc. He was smart, but waiting, to him, was a waste of time.

"Just wait."

---

"Where's that book?" Kakashi asked himself. He was looking for the first volume of Icha Icha Paradise, but he couldn't remember where he last placed it. He opened his drawers from top to bottom until he came upon a really old desk that he had stopped using a long time ago. _I might have tossed the book in there._ He opened the desk drawer and searched through the scattered papers. Suddenly, he stopped. In his hand he held an old picture.

A knock on the door prevented him from delving more into the past. He opened the door and found two of his old students standing there. "Oi, Fusubi, it's been a long time."

"That's right, that's right!" Mitsuri dragged poor Fusubi into the room and pushed him, forcing him to sit on the couch. "Ne, Kakashi! You don't look too happy to see us."

"I've seen enough of you to last me a lifetime. Fusubi I can handle, but you..." He shook his head and pretended to be in distress. His acting was met by Mitsuri's ready fist. Fusubi laughed at both of them.

The three of them spent the rest of the day talking about the past, recalling all the trouble they got into, and which ones they barely got out of. When night fell, Fusubi told the others he had to go. He had another mission for the next day, and he wanted to rest.

"Maa, so many missions. You sure are wanted, Fusubi."

"So are you, Mitsu-chan. You're just too lazy to accept any."

"True. All right, go on ahead." She walked him out the door. "I'll sleep here for tonight. When will I see you again?"

"Next week, maybe."

In a more serious tone, Mitsuri gave Fusubi a smile. "Thanks for everything, Fusubi. Thanks for choosing to see me."

"It was what I wanted most," Fusubi replied, patting her head. He turned and left, taking his time as he headed for home. _Home... Mitsuri is my home. She's the reason I return from every mission. I hope she understands that._

---

Kakashi got out some of Mitsuri's old clothes from his closet and handed them to her. "Get ready for bed."

"You treat me like I'm a little child," Mitsuri told him crossly. She grabbed her clothes and went to the bathroom to change. When she got out, Kakashi was sitting on the couch.

"Come, Mitsuri," he said. "I'll show you something."

She walked over and sat beside him. "What?"

He held up a small square picture and showed it to her. He watched her face as she took the picture and stared at it.

"Who is this? She looks... a little like me." She had asked the question, but deep within her, she knew who it was. She couldn't stop looking at the young woman's face in the picture.

"Oko. Your aneki." And he told her a few stories about her sister. Only a few, because it was painful for both of them. Kakashi, losing what he had, and Mitsuri, losing what she could have had.

That night Mitsuri fell asleep holding the picture in her hand.

---

The next morning, Mitsuri went to see the Hokage for a mission. She had decided that waiting for Orochimaru to strike was not a worthwhile occupation, so she stepped up to Tsunade and demanded that she be given a mission.

"That's a surprise," Tsunade said wryly. "I thought you were going to spend the rest of your life lazing about."

"Hurmph."

"Anyway, you came at just the right time. I've a mission that would need mind-reading ability."

When Mitsuri heard those words, her lips tightened. "I'm not doing it. Well... I could, but I won't be using any bloodline limit."

"Why? Don't be unreasonable, Mitsuri. This is something the village needs."

"As I said, I can do it, but without clan-got abilities."

Tsunade sighed. "It's a hard mission."

"You don't trust me?"

"I do, I suppose. Are you trying to prove something?"

Mitsuri slammed a hand on the Hokage's desk. "Yes."

"What?"

"What?" With her hand still on the desk, Mitsuri looked at Tsunade with such fierce intensity that the Hokage squirmed in her seat. "That I can do it my way."

---

Author's Note: The next chapter will hold action, so it might take some time to finish. Hope you enjoyed this one. :) .


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